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Cheshire County Cricket League Division 2Ashton on Mersey CC 1st XI 178-8Beat Stockport CC 1st XI Ashton on Mersey recorded an opening day victory on a see-saw day at The Beets.Opting to bowl first, Ashton made early inroads into the Stockport batting, with Frazer Hay and debutant Tai Khan producing an effective opening spell.With Ashton’s out fielding on top form, the visitors struggled to make progress until Naveed Gondal began to hit out. Taking advantage of anything loose, and targeting the short leg side boundary, Gondal blitzed 76 in quick time until Ashton’s skipper James Marshall entered the attack to remove Stockport’s main threat.The innings concluded with Stockport being bowled out for 174, with Khan taking 3-35 and Fraser 3-48. In reply Ashton’s openers Mike Roberts and Dave Patterson made steady start, taking the score to 76 before Roberts fell.Patterson posted a fine half century, but the rest of the Ashton batting proved frail, with wickets falling at regular intervals.When Patterson went for 60, Ashton still needed 30 to win and Stockport sniffed a chance to pull off a fight-back victory. But Tom Scott and Tai Khan saw the home team through to the win by 2 wickets with 3 overs to spare. This was the start to the season Ashton needed as they look forward to next week’s trip to Upton.Ashton’s 2nd XI had a difficult day at Port Sunlight, going down to a 7 wicket defeat. Ashton 83 all out (Daniel Harper 5-14), Port Sunlight 84-3. Ashton’s young third team can be proud of their efforts against a powerful Bramhall XI, as they fought hard in a losing cause, Bramhall 168-1 Ashton 106-7 Dave Patterson bats Top image Tai Khan bowls